


Unexplained

by Whiteasy



Series: Stolen Moments of Home [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 104th Cadets Training, M/M, Sparring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:16:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24774511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whiteasy/pseuds/Whiteasy
Summary: Bertholdt and Reiner fight against each other during training. The resolution to their sparring wasn't one either of them expected.
Relationships: Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover
Series: Stolen Moments of Home [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789216
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56





	Unexplained

Bertholdt and Reiner never trained together. To be more precise, they never sparred together. 

Reiner liked to spar with the other trainees because, well, Bertholdt guessed it fit his role of playing the other cadets’ big brother, by helping them, teaching them how to fight, even if it meant sometimes making a fool of himself and allowing soldiers who were way below his level, fight him on equal grounds, sometimes even overpower him.

Everyone admired, and even loved Reiner for that reason. 

Bertholdt couldn’t care less about that. Or rather, he wasn’t fit for it. He didn’t know how Reiner could do it – forget about who they truly were and completely immerse himself in the role of a dedicated soldier. But Bertholdt knew that that wasn’t for him. Yes, it had earned Reiner, and him by extension, the Paradisian soldiers’ unwavering trust. But Bertholdt couldn’t handle the pretense for so long. His guilt of deceiving, orphaning and dooming innocent people like them to a shortened life where the danger of being eaten alive loomed over the horizon, often made it hard for him to hang around those same people, carefree, as if he was one of them. 

So, he usually slacked off during training. He used to feel guilty about it, but Annie lounged around doing nothing all the time. He’d accept some offer here and there from the other cadets to train with them. He had even accepted once the odd request from Mikasa to spar with her. It had been one of the longest fights he had ever engaged in since he had first enlisted in the 104th cadets training. It had also been an invigorating experience where he had been able to forget about his troubles, his mind solely focusing for once on his adversary. He could also tell that the Ackerman was just as pleasantly surprised with his skills and for lasting longer than anyone else had before against her (save for Reiner and Annie). The glint in her usually inexpressive eyes, the faint smile that tugged at her lips, were to him and to everyone else, an undisputed proof that she was enjoying herself, far more than she had initially expected to. 

It had ended with a draw then, and Bertholdt was taken off-guard when the raven-haired girl firmly shook his hand, in acknowledgment of _“his remarkable skills”_ like she had put it. 

Bertholdt couldn’t help a smile from stretching on his face, even though it was soon replaced by sadder, melancholic one, when he ruminated again on how much she didn’t know about him. And how she wouldn’t have hesitated to snap his neck in two, had she acquired that knowledge.

Even such a short moment of blissful oblivion, and joy even, was soon tarnished by the harshness and the cruelty of the truth which only those outside these cursed walls possessed. 

Bertholdt decided he would just spend the rest of these kinds of training days lurking in the shadows, until it was over. Annie did it, so why shouldn’t he? Plus, it’s not like it was that hard for him to go unnoticed. The only thing that made him seen sometimes was his height, and his ODM gear techniques when he was showcasing it. And even that became more and more scarce, because he frankly couldn’t be bothered. It was only a few more months until they graduated after all. 

So, that worked on everyone. Until -- 

“Wanna fight? Come on, just like the old days.” Of course, he should’ve known it wouldn’t have worked on Reiner. 

Bertholdt felt the muscle around his eyes twitch at his friend’s casual remark about them knowing each other far longer than they divulged to their comrades. He couldn’t help but look sideways to see if anyone had overheard them. 

Satisfied that no one in fact did, Bertholdt sighed before nodding. 

Bertholdt didn’t know for how long they have been going at it. He had genuinely lost track of time and for a while, he could no longer make out any of their surroundings. The only sound that reached his ears were of their fists and kicks clashing against each other, and their harsh panting. Bertholdt realized then that they have been getting understandably tired, both of them. Yet, he didn’t find it in him to stop. He couldn’t go easy on Reiner and let him win just so he could end this, because truthfully, Bertholdt didn’t want it to. Not yet. Not when it felt so good, so much like they have been back to their hometown again. 

He missed this. He missed Liberio. And he missed the peace it came with him and Reiner being who they were, for once. 

Alas, as much as he wanted to drag this on, his high on the adrenaline barred him from reining in his fighter’s instincts.

So, he saw an opening in Reiner’s defense and lunged for it. It had taken Reiner by surprise, and even the soldiers whom had gathered around them to watch (and bet on them?) judging by the few, loud gasps some of them emitted and before any of them knew it, Bertholdt had successfully pinned his friend to the ground, keeping a strong hold atop his upper chest. Bertholdt could faintly hear someone counting in the distance followed by some cheering – not that it mattered to him. Reiner wasn’t moving anywhere, seeing as he stayed motionless on the ground under his strong arm, and Bertholdt’s own body hovering over him. 

Bertholdt knew he had won. He knew he should rejoice in that fact but, instead, he didn’t think about it. He was instead mesmerized by the man underneath him, or rather, by the expression on his face. 

Reiner wasn’t moving, not even struggling to break free of his hold. He was just... staring at him, and if Bertholdt’s brain wasn’t so foggy from the rush of the endorphins and the adrenaline, he could’ve maybe tried to analyze the looks flashing across the blond’s eyes. Was it surprise that he had defeated him? Was it confusion? Was it, actually, awe and perhaps, slight admiration? 

Or was it something else?

Bertholdt couldn’t tell, not with the way he suddenly realized how unusually close – like, _too_ close – they were in that moment. 

Bertholdt felt his face flush when the realization struck him – a bodily reaction of his which he couldn’t fathom and tried to explain as being the result of their previous exertion. Reiner had a similar reaction on his own face, so that must be it, right?

“Could you...move away?” His best friend’s (cracking?) voice jolted him from his racing thoughts. Bertholdt jerked his head in a nod before he clambered off him, face feeling even warmer than it was seconds ago. He offered his hand for Reiner so he could pull him back on his feet, which the blond not-so-subtly avoided, averting his gaze before standing up and dusting himself off. 

Bertholdt became aware of his surroundings then, his friend’s odd behavior propelling him back to earth. He felt a lump form in his throat when he heard the other cadets' continuous cheering for him, contrasting with others’ booing Reiner for losing and costing them their savings. 

Mainly Jean and Eren. Although, the latter was still unable from gawking at him in awe, not having expected this resolution to their fight.

He immediately stood back up when he caught Annie rolling her eyes at them in obvious exasperation and tried not to think much on Mikasa’s confused but also, flustered expression. 

Bertholdt tried to focus on whatever Eren and Armin were blabbering to him about, offering short, non-committal responses to their stream of questions, in an effort to will his brain to not venture into unwanted, dangerous territories that may revolve around a certain close friend of his. 

**Author's Note:**

> Can't believe i wrote something this cheesy. But I enjoyed it!


End file.
